Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Ezekiel 36
Ezekiel 36:26And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
This is one of the most famous promises in the Bible, where God offers a spiritual heart transplant, replacing cold indifference with a soft, living heart.Ezekiel 36:27And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
God explains that He will put His own Spirit inside us, which is the secret to actually being able to follow His ways.Ezekiel 36:35And they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.'
This verse shows that God's restoration is so complete that what was once a wasteland will eventually look like the Garden of Eden.
Historical & Cultural Context
God Speaks to the Mountains
The chapter begins with Ezekiel speaking to the physical mountains and valleys of Israel. At this time, the land was empty and ruined, and neighboring nations like Edom were gloating over the destruction. God responds to this 'evil gossip' by promising that the land will soon be filled with people and fruit once again.
The Reason for the Rescue
The focus then shifts to the spiritual reason for the exile. God explains that Israel's past sins defiled the land, leading to their scattering among the nations. However, their presence in foreign lands made God look weak to the observers, so He decides to act to vindicate His holy name.
From Desolation to a New Creation
In Ezekiel 36:1-38, the prophet delivers a message of hope to a people who have lost everything. The scene moves from the physical restoration of the mountains to the deep, internal renewal of the human soul.
The Land's Recovery (Ezekiel 36:1-15)
1 "And you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord."
2 Thus says the Lord God: Because the enemy said of you, ‘Aha!’ and, ‘The ancient heights have become our possession,’
3 therefore prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord God: Because, yea, because they made you desolate and crushed you from all sides, so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations, and you became the talk and evil gossip of the people,
4 Therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God: Thus says the Lord God to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys, to the desolate wastes and the deserted cities, which have become a prey and derision to the rest of the nations all around,
5 therefore thus says the Lord God: Surely I have spoken in my hot jealousy against the rest of the nations and against all Edom, who gave my land to themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy and utter contempt, that they might make its pasturelands a prey.
6 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, to the ravines and valleys, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I have spoken in my jealous wrath, because you have suffered the reproach of the nations.
7 Therefore thus says the Lord God: I swear that the nations that are all around you shall themselves suffer reproach.
8 But you, O mountains of Israel, shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to my people Israel, for they will soon come.
9 For behold, I am for you, and I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown.
10 And I will multiply people on you, the whole house of Israel, all of it. The cities shall be inhabited and the waste places rebuilt.
11 And I will multiply on you man and beast, and they shall multiply and be fruitful. And I will cause you to be inhabited as in your former times, and will do more good to you than ever before. Then you will know that I am the Lord.
12 I will let people walk on you, even my people Israel. And they shall possess you, and you shall be their inheritance, and you shall no longer bereave them of children.
13 Thus says the Lord God: Because they say to you, 'You devour people, and you bereave your nation of children,'
14 therefore you shall no longer devour people and no longer bereave your nation of children, declares the Lord God.
15 And I will not let you hear anymore the reproach of the nations, and you shall no longer bear the disgrace of the peoples and no longer cause your nation to stumble, declares the Lord God.”
Commentary:
God promises to make the desolate land of Israel fruitful and populated again to stop the nations from mocking.
The Problem of a Profaned Name (Ezekiel 36:16-21)
16 The word of the Lord came to me:
17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their deeds.
18 So I poured out my wrath upon them for the blood that they had shed in the land, for the idols with which they had defiled it.
19 I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. In accordance with their ways and their deeds I judged them.
20 But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned my holy name, in that people said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, and yet they had to go out of his land.’
21 But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they came.
Commentary:
Israel's sins led to exile, which unfortunately made God's name look bad to the surrounding nations.
The New Heart and Spirit (Ezekiel 36:22-32)
22 "Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came."
23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.
24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.
26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
28 Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
29 I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses.
30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations.
31 Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations.
32 It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord God; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.
Commentary:
God promises to wash His people clean and give them a new heart and His Spirit so they can finally follow Him.
The Eden Transformation (Ezekiel 36:33-38)
33 "Thus says the Lord God: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt."
34 And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by.
35 And they will say, 'This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.'
36 Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.
37 "Thus says the Lord God: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock."
38 Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.
Commentary:
The restored land will look like Eden, proving to everyone that God is the one who rebuilds and replants.
The God Who Rebuilds from the Inside Out
God's Reputation
The passage emphasizes that God acts for the sake of His 'holy name.' This means His actions are designed to show the world who He truly is - faithful, powerful, and good - even when His people fail to represent Him well.
Internal vs. External Change
God reveals that changing someone's location or giving them new rules isn't enough. Real restoration requires a 'heart transplant' where God changes our inner desires and gives us His Spirit to empower our obedience.
Holistic Restoration
This chapter shows that God is interested in both the spiritual and the physical. He saves souls, rebuilds cities, heals the land, and provides for the material needs of His people.
Applying the Promise of Renewal to Your Life
A heart of stone is one that has become numb, cynical, or stubborn toward God's love and direction. According to Ezekiel 36:26, you don't have to fix this yourself. You can ask God to perform the 'surgery' of replacing that hardness with a heart that is soft and responsive to Him.
Since you represent God to the people around you, your life is a billboard for His character. Ezekiel 36:23 reminds us that God wants to show His holiness through us, which gives us a purpose beyond ourselves - to live in a way that makes others think highly of our Creator.
Yes, the promise in Ezekiel 36:35 that a desolate land can become like Eden shows that no situation is too far gone for God. Whether it is a broken relationship, a failed career, or a personal struggle, God specializes in rebuilding and replanting what was once considered a lost cause.
God Transforms Us From Within
Ezekiel 36 delivers the incredible news that God is not content to leave us in our brokenness or our rebellion. He takes the initiative to cleanse our past and provide a radical internal transformation by giving us a new heart and His own Spirit. This message shifts the focus from our own failed efforts to God's sovereign grace. The ultimate goal is a restored relationship where we are truly His people, and He is truly our God, living in a world made new by His presence.
What This Means for Us Today
God is inviting you to stop trying to patch up your old life and instead receive a brand-new heart. He is the master rebuilder who can turn your personal desolation into a garden of hope. Today, you can respond by asking Him to put His Spirit within you and lead the way
- Is there a 'hardened' part of your heart you need to surrender to God today?
- How can you live this week in a way that honors God's reputation?
- What 'ruined place' in your life are you asking God to rebuild?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
This chapter provides the contrast by showing God's judgment on Edom, the nation that mocked Israel's desolation.
The famous vision of the Valley of Dry Bones, which illustrates the life-giving power of the Spirit mentioned in chapter 36.
Connections Across Scripture
Contains the parallel promise of a New Covenant where God writes His law directly on people's hearts.
Reflects the 'sprinkling of clean water' theme by talking about the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.
David's personal prayer for exactly what Ezekiel 36 promises: a clean heart and a right spirit.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think God emphasizes that He is acting 'not for your sake' but for His own name's sake?
- In what areas of your life do you feel like you are operating with a 'heart of stone' rather than a 'heart of flesh'?
- How does the promise of the Holy Spirit living within us change the way we think about following God's rules?